University of Maryland College Park Bachelor Degree Program in Science Education
University & College Info July 1, 2013The University of Maryland at College Park offers a bachelor degree program in science education as well as a variety of continuing education processes. Science is not merely a trend, but it means the future of human society. When you get involved with science, you are learning about the processes that give us life. Even better, when you teach science, you are helping with shaping a generation, the new generation of scientific thinkers. This is a tremendous step towards healing our earth, and developing a promising future.
UMD’s Science Education Curriculum
Of course, you cannot take on much responsibility unless you understand the foundation of science. This program focuses not only on science fundamentals, but also on the teaching art. You can take this bachelor’s degree program and proceed onward to a Master of Education (M.Ed) option, or perhaps a Master of Arts (M.A.). What matters though is starting somewhere and the bachelor’s degree program is an excellent starting point—and perhaps even a career end, if that is where you want to stop. Students who learn science education can find work in formal and non-formal settings, such as an elementary school or a university.
The main subjects to familiarize yourself with are biology, chemistry, physics and environmentalism. Science education involves some core subjects beyond science, specifically in computers and in educational methods. The core subjects, including special studies, counts towards 12 credits. Elective subjects are next and will be your specializations. This is for K-8 science education studies, as well as university-level educations, which will require graduate level work. This may require more than the minimum 15 credits suggested.
Students will also study science content, including subtopics of scientific philosophy, history, technology, cognition and other independent projects. Actually, the projects that you work on, along with research advisors, will look extremely good on your resume, so independent studies are immensely encouraged. The dissertation study you do will count as 12 credits.
The Advantages of a UMD Science Teaching Education
Faculty members at UMD come from an exceptional background in education. You will be learning from professors of biology and physics as well as an emeritus professor. You will not just learn about teaching or science, but the level of substantive interaction required by teachers that will bridge the gap between research and teaching. There will also be a greater emphasis on diversity; learning to work with students of various backgrounds. You will learn multiple disciplines of teaching and how to relate all of this back to science, with subjects such as scientific inquiry, reading comprehension and diagnosis of students.
One of the finer aspects of a UMD education in science is that students will be able to work on an internship or project research basis with top organizations located in the Maryland and Washington D.C. area.
If a career as a scientific mind appeals to you, then make plans to submit an application to the University of Maryland at College Park. Your inner Plato calls to you with a challenge!
